This simple explanation of “good vs well” will quickly help you to understand the point.
Good is usually an adjective (which modifies nouns) while well is an adverb (which modifies verbs, adjectives and other adverbs). Let’s see what I’m talking about in examples:
– There are two good restaurants in our street.
– We saw a very good film last night.
– My mobile phone is rather old, but it’s still good.
– Did you have a good time in Paris?
– She doesn’t play tennis, but she can swim well.
– The actors played very well at the theatre last night.
– You will be promoted if you do your work well.
– The reception was very well organized.
Good is often used after linking (or copular) verbs like be, seem, feel, taste, smell, sound or appear to express a state of being, condition or quality:
– I feel good.
– The soup tastes good.
– This idea sounds very good.
Well is rather used with action verbs:
– She plays the piano well.
– They sang very well at the concert last night.
– Thanks to my new glasses, I see well.
As an answer to the question ‘How are you?’, both good and well can be used, but their meaning is different:
– I’m well, I feel well = I’m in good health.
– I’m good, I feel good = I’m happy and everything is fine. (‘I’m good’ is very informal in this meaning and less frequently used)
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